New reports reveal feature key data around women’s sports fandom

The GIST: Not one, but two major reports have dropped since our last newsletter and the results overwhelmingly show that women’s sports are no longer a trend, but a triumph. From increased viewership to brand loyalty and women impacting the growth of men’s sports, the data is singing the praises of this movement and it’s a song we love to hear.

In its “More Fans, More Often” report, Nielsen revealed that U.S. audiences watched over 46B minutes of women’s sports in 2025 and 28.6B minutes in the first half of 2026, an 18% increase YoY. Plus, 52.8% of Americans said they were interested in women’s sports.

• Nielsen found that women accounted for nine million of an estimated 16 million new sports fans from last year, and women’s sports fans in particular outpace general sports fans in both social media and podcast engagement.

• Women fans also accounted for 107% growth in NCAA Men’s College World Series viewership, were every 2 of 5 viewers for the FIFA men’s World Cup final on Fox, and comprised 46% of NASCAR fans. Talk about an impact.

The wins kept coming in the Trade Desk’s “Women’s Sports: A Movement, Not a Moment” report, which focused more on consumption habits, what advertisers should know about women’s sports, and what this unique fan group really wants from brands. TL;DR: Authenticity matters.

• A majority of those surveyed (89%) agreed they want to see brands advertising who represent the values of the sport and consistently show up, not just for big moments.

• Equally interesting, the numbers showed that 72% of women sports fans consume sports content daily compared to 58% of men, with women sports fans spending 32% more time on podcasts than the average American. We know one they might like.

Zooming out: Both these reports tell a similar story — the time to invest in women’s sports was yesterday. Nielsen put it flawlessly when it noted, “an equally powerful shift is redefining the traditional fan base, as women increasingly claim their space as passionate, knowledgeable stakeholders in men's sports leagues.” Duh.